Evans Photography - Leia's Guitar Photo Shoot

Yesterday, we had a photo shoot with this amazing person! Besides being the nicest person we know, Leia is our church's worship leader. Without Leia knowing, our church had been saving for a new guitar and couple of months ago our church surprised her with it.

The gracious people at Uptown Music, in Keizer, gave the church an amazing deal on the 500 series Taylor and had it shipped straight from the factory. When Leia asked us for pictures with her new treasure, we couldn't wait! Now that the weather warmed up we met up at Willamette University and got some amazing shots. Here are some of our favorites.

Create Well: Finding a model that is beautiful, modest, and never complains is a photographer's dream.

Enjoy Life Today

Ok, digital scrapbooking is totally new to me. I admire those who do spend the time in front of the computer creating layouts that can easily be printed through an online source and picked up at your mailbox within days. Digital elements fascinate me and scare me at the same time. I am a traditional scrapbooker but for some reason am drawn in by the beauty of brushes and fonts. My sis sent me this free download knowing I would want to practice.

Adobe Photoshop CS2; 2 Peas and a Bucket:
Carina Gardner’s Digital Scrapbooking Products

& Queen of Quirk She's No Spring Chicken;

custom flower brush: Jen Evans

Create Well: Do something new even when it scares you to try. You might learn something new.

Love Grows Here

Today is my father-in-law's birthday and I wanted to create something to put in his "wood" room. Yes folks, my father-in-law has his own room dedicated to his wooden toy collection. He also likes to add a few other wooden items that tickles his fancy. The room is really a joy for all the grandchildren and great grandchildren. I mean, can you imagine being small and walking into a room with shelves from the floor to the ceiling filled with wooden toys?! Needless to say, my two year old has a blast taking everything off the shelves.

I have had a set of old wooden blocks that I have used for several mixed media projects and thought to create a piece using the new Delight line from Fancy Pants Designs.

Paper: Fancy Pants Designs & notebook paper

Rubons: Fancy Pants Designs

Flowers: Bazzill Basics

Other: old block, rhinestones, metallic acrylic paint & fabric

This project was so easy that my two year old helped. We sanded then painted the block with metallic acrylic paint. We then added the paper with dry adhesive. I tore some notebook paper and fabric to go behind the photograph. My little guy painted gel medium to the block. He then put the fabric and notebook paper on the gel medium. After I added the rubons, my son helped pick out the flowers for each side. After talking him into picking a color other than pink, he painted more gel medium to the block and put the flowers in their places.

Create Often: Have your child help you do a mixed media project at home. Let them pick the photos, paint, use the adhesive, and add the embellishments. In the end the project will have more meaning, memories, and love.

Enjoy the Moment

I have been itchin' to do this layout for about two weeks now. Sometimes I sketch some designs in my sketch book and refer to them when I am ready to scrap, but I have been wanting to do this one since I drew it!

I have been wanting to do a layout that uses a large portion of the buttons in my button jar. It's a great feeling to be useful in what I have at home. This jar has been collecting buttons for a while. Some of the buttons used on this layout have been collected from a scrapbook store but most of them are vintage. This is a photo of my son with his grandma.

Paper: Fancy Pants Designs, Prima Marketing Inc., & 7 Gypsies

Stickers: American Craft

Flower: Bazzill Basics

Rubons & Ribbon: Fancy Pants Designs

Other: Thread

Create Well: Find an item taking over your scrapbook space and use it!

10 Reasons Why I Love You - Part 3

Here's the last few pages of my mini book for Craft Warehouse's first assignment! I had such a blast doing this project. I have never worked so long on a project before; this book took about nine hours to complete. It was worth every minute!

I sandwiched two silk flowers between a paperclip for an extra layer that can be seen through the acrylic pages. Number 8 reads, "The way you hold my pinkie finger while we walk together."

I took all the photos in this book, besides the last photo, of course because I am in it ;) . I am so excited about these two pages because my husband is usually behind the camera. So, we don't have many photos of him. These are my new favorites. Number 9, "The way you look just like your Daddy."

Here is another handmade flower.

I love taking photographs in mind of leaving some negative space for journaling. I actually took this photo in mind of this page!

I loved mimicking the dot pattern with the stamp. I also left space on the bottom of the opposite page so that when the page is closed you can actually see the bottom pattern through the acrylic #9 page. Number 10 reads, "The look in your eyes when you see me..."

· Mini Book, Paper, Notebook Journal & Stamps: Fancy Pants Designs
“Delight” Collection
· Stickers: American Crafts & Making Memories
· Flowers & Cardstock: Bazzill Basics
· Border Punch: Fiskars
Other: Thread, Ink, acrylic paint, ribbon, rhinestone, paperclip, twine, & Font

Create Well: Take time on a project. You will be glad with the results when you do!

10 Reasons Why I Love You - Part 2

Here is Part 2 of my mini book for Craft Warehouse. I love page three. I used a file folder to trace the tab onto this double sided paper. The journaling reads: The way you simply make me smile. The small joys in life like sitting in the grass watching the world go by is... enough."

I stamped the silk flowers with Stazon ink. I also punched circles from the patterned paper and used foam squares to make it pop!

On the back is number 4 which reads, "Your beautiful red hair. All my life I dreamed of having a little red-headed baby. And look! It's what makes you, you."

I used some of this note paper as a tab.

I used the acrylic page by cutting it in half. I love this look. The scalloped edge is made with the Fiskars border punch.

Number 5 reads, "The way you hug and kiss me on the lips to say 'good-bye'...and how you have to do the same for everyone else even if you have only met them once."

Number 6 reads, "When I ask you 'What time is it?' you literally look at the clock and tell me the actual time. When all I wanted to hear is that it was rest time."

I love Number 7, "You melt my heart when you call me 'Mama.'

The flower's stem is also a stamp and then I used the sewing machine along the stem for texture.
The flower is handmade from pattern paper. I cut two circles out and stitched them together in a random circle. Then I chalked the edges and lifted the top layer by hand. I also sanded the edges since I backed this chipboard page with paper.

Look for the last part coming soon!

Create Well: Create your own embellishments with scraps of the paper you are working with. You will be sure they will match your layout and design!

10 Reasons Why I Love You - Part One

Ok... I just couldn't help sharing a bit of my Craft Warehouse mini book assignment. I am almost done but I thought I would share the first few pages with you. I am so excited about it! The mini book is from Fancy Pants Designs.

I used one piece of the chipboard as my template and created one of the pages to extend out by tracing a file folder tab. I added ribbon to the rings for some added color.

The white ribbon was stamped with these! I loved how it turned out and am going to do this again. I also cut a slit in the ribbon and ripped it in half so that they are bit frayed. You can see in the first photo that the orange ribbon has two different colors. I really like the look.

I cut one of the felt pieces in half and used Gel Medium to attach the paper to the felt. I then stitched over top.

I wanted my first page to start on the other side of the felt so that the journaling wouldn't distract from the title. I love this transparency from the Delight line. My journaling reads for number 1, "The way you teach me how to be a better person everyday" and for number 2, "The way you surprise me every time you open your mouth. You are always thinking one step faster than I can keep up!"

I am looking forward to sharing more soon!

Create Well: If you need ribbon with a specific pattern or color try stamping it!

Create Space...

I am blessed to have my own space to create. Although this room is where I spend time scrapbooking it is actually called the "Art Room." I have a blast having friends and their children over to create in this space as well.

I love the open baskets for easy access to items I use all the time. This shelf is just for One Bright Spot packing items. I am addicted to aprons and use them all the time when I paint. If I could I would wear them all day long. (I did when I taught preschool ;) )

The room was a remodeled attic so the ceilings are A-framed and low. I like it until I have to go into the little door in the above picture, which is that attic now. It stores all of my teaching supplies. The small table and chairs is a great place to do projects with my little man.

This space would make the coolest place to put a bed if this room was a bedroom. Don't you think? But for now it is my scrap corner. I also nickname this room "The Sweat Shop" since it is lit only with lamps and if it is warmer than 75 degrees outside the room is 95 degrees or hotter!

This shelf was a super find! I found it sitting in my father-in-law's shop. I freaked out when I saw it because it looked perfect for stamps. He was talking to my husband about cutting it up for firewood! I screamed and asked for it. ;) Now it houses all my paint.

This is how I store most of my small items. But, it makes it hard to remember what-company-made-what, so I have to think of a new plan. I love to be able to see everything. If I can't see my product then I can not be inspired to use it. Are you that way?

Since my lovely sister gave me all her paint my stamps were moved here for now. I love the over-the-door space saver but I think two would do nicely.

Comment and share the link to your space so that we can be inspired!

Create Well: Be inspired by creative spaces. When you feel good about where you create, you create well...